1. Now it happened after this that Nahash the king of the Ammonites died, and his son reigned in his place.
2. Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to comfort him.
3. But the leaders of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Do you think that David is honoring your father because he sent consolers? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?”
4. So Hanun took the servants of David, shaved them, cut their garments in half as far as the hip, and sent them away.
5. Then some came and told David about the men, so he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Remain in Jericho until your beards grow full, and then return.”
6. When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent one thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maakah, and Zobah.
7. So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, with the king of Maakah and his people. They camped before Medeba as the Ammonites gathered from their cities to go out to war.
8. When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.
9. So the Ammonites went out and formed ranks for battle at the entrance to the city while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.
10. When Joab saw the battle line was drawn in front of him and behind him, he chose some of the best men in Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans.
11. The rest of the people he placed in the charge of his brother Abishai, and they took up positions to engage the Ammonites.
12. Then he said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you will come help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come help you.